Wednesday, July 28

Bob and Jackie "mapping" (top). Versailles (middle). Garden at Versailles (bottom).

Today we were up early. At the pastry shop by 7:30am. We took a coach to Versailles and had self-paced guides through the Kings' Castle of Versailles. The Castle is gigantic and has been restored to an amazing show of opulence. The many gardens outside were full of beautiful colors and were manicured to perfection. We coached back to Paris and saw many of the sights from the coach that we had visited. We also came through the tunnel where Princess Diana was in the fatal crash.
Upon arriving back in Paris we found a cafe where J,B&J had wonderful salads and John had a warm ham and cheese. We all finished some shopping and touring and are preparing for a final dinner in Paris. We will be home soon to show the hours of video and many pictures to all who wish to watch. Love to our family and friends.
(Rob-Janyce had a nutella and banana crepe this afternoon to end our stay!)

Tuesday 7/27

Jan and Jackie enjoying breakfast (top). Bob and John in front of the Musee d'Orsay (bottom).

Today started with a wonderful breakfast at an organic cafe. Wonderful food and healthy, too!
Then off to the Musee d'Orsay to see the impressionists' art work. Beautiful works by Monet, Cezanne, Charbot, Van Gogh, Renoir, Manet, Degas...........Back to the hotel for a short rest and then out to shop.

Monday 7/26

Veda saying goodbye (top). Audrey and Rusty in the back seat enjoying the car's vista roof (bottom).

This morning we enjoyed our last breakfast at the B&B outside of Bayeux - Le Moulin de Hard. It was hard to leave the lovely country setting, the wonderful croissants and breads, the six types of homemade jams, homemade yogurt and the relaxing atmosphere. After the fairly short drive to Chartres (about three hours), we turned in the car and hopped on the train to Paris. John and Bob enjoyed the hills and valleys of France while on the train. When we arrived back at our Paris hotel home we relaxed for a few moments and sipped some champagne which was left for us in our rooms by Walter, the concierge. We then headed out for a very nice dinner and found some great restaurants for the next two evenings.
Tomorrow more sites of Paris......Love to all family and friends!

Sunday 7/25

Paddle wheel outside our B&B (top) Bayeux Cathedral (bottom)

We started another day with a lovely breakfast and were joined by a nice young couple from Vienna, Austria. Then off in a slight drizzling rain to visit the German bunkers at Longues sur Mer. These bunkers were still intact as were their guns. We saw how thick the concrete was with most walls about a meter thick with steel reinforced concrete.

After leaving this site we traveled east to Arromanches. There we toured the museum which explained through diaramas, films and displays how the British built a harbor and transported supplies and munitions to the troops who had taken the beaches. There was a downtown market going on which we walked through. We didn't buy anything there, but have some reading to do from the books we bought at the various museums.
We came back to Bayeux and lunched on healthy desserts (Jackie-chocolate crepe, Janyce-chocolate, banana crepe, John-banana split, Bob-salad?) at l'Insolite. Then we walked over to view the 1,000 year old tapestry of Bayeux, which told the story of William the Conqueror (going from a bastard child to William the Conqueror). This tapestry had to be repaired after the French Revolution when the people tore it apart.
Back to our lovely B&B for a nap (or to read) to the sounds of the stream outside the window and the baahhing of the sheep. After refreshing, we went back to Bayeux for a wonderful 2 1/2 hour dinner at Le Pommier. Pictures were taken of all courses.

Friday and Saturday 7/24&25

D-Day Museum (above) German Bunker (below)

Friday: We drove from Amboise to our bed and breakfast near Bayeux - Le Moulin de Hard. On the way we visited Madame Darraux (Sylvie's Mother - Sylvie is a friend and colleague of Jackie's). She was wonderfully hospitable and showed us her home and served us some treats. She lives in a home on a farm with fresh air and the wheat had just been harvested the day before. We then all went to lunch at a cafe for truck drivers just down the road. We tried all sorts of wonderful French home made food and had a wonderful time laughing and enjoying a very family type welcome. Back to the car and on to our new home at Le moulin de Hard. We were greeted by our hostess with beverages which we enjoyed by a stream overlooking flowers and the pasture. We then did a reconnaissance tour of the area to check out tomorrow's touring.

Saturday: Up early with the horses to a wonderful breakfast of breads, six types of homemade jams, tea/coffee, homemade yogurt and then off to tour Normandy. We started at a D-Day museum learning about the events and watching a video description of D-Day. We went to Utah, Pointe du Hoc (where the Rangers climbed the cliffs) and Omaha Beaches. There were memorials at all the beaches and we saw German bunkers and the tunnel system between them. We also went to the American Cemetery and walked all around it. It is a very awe inspiring site and one that reminded us of the real cost of war. We also went in the chapel where Mike and Rob (?) sang on their choir tour.
Tonight we had a lovely dinner in Bayeux and then walked around the Cathedral. As we walked by the front doors we stopped in and listened to someone playing the organ as we looked at the beautiful stained glass windows. We returned to the bed and breakfast where we enjoyed a bottle of wine, wrote this blog, and planned tomorrow's expedition.

Thursday 7/22

Picnicking before touring Chateau de Chenonceau on the Cher River (above)

We left without eating breakfast at the hotel because we figured we would find a great little cafe in Chaumont. Wrong... We basically woke up the owners of the cafe that we found and then proceeded to have coffee (?), hot chocolate (?), and toast with cherry jam and bees. Needless to say, we went looking for lunch very soon after!

When we arrived at Montrichard, we saw many beautiful cafes. Oh well... C'est la vie! We bought provisions for lunch (bread, cheese, fruit, quiche, butter, peanut butter, pastries, water, and a Coke for John). We found our way to the Chateau de Chenonceau and, after parking, had a French-style tailgate party. Fleur de lys! Go red, white, and blue! Then we toured the chateau, gardens, and the souvenir shop. It's truly a stunning chateau which spans the Cher River and it was built several hundreds of years ago.

With the full roof opened, the "kids" enjoyed the ride back to the hotel. However, before arriving at the hotel, we filled the car up with gas. It's amazing...you don't have to pay first or put in your credit card. They trust you!!

Back to Amboise for a bit of wine tasting (one was really yucky and we found one that was okay), and then on to dinner. Yum... Janyce really liked the tatin (the apple-caramel upside down tarte...you have to see it to understand). Tomorrow is a day of traveling to see Sylvie Lucki's mother (Mme. Darraux) and then on to Normandy. Adios amigos! Hasta manana!!

Tuesday and Wednesday (7/20&21)

J&J at Italian Rest. (top) daVinci's Home (middle) Our Hotel (below)

Yesterday we got up and took the train to Chartres where we picked up a rental car - a Peugeot 5008. Bob hopped in and had those six gears shifting smoothly in no time at all. At one point we had to back up and it's hard to figure out how to get the car in reverse so the guys just pushed it (sorry no picture of that one!). Bob has even figured out reverse now so he can get anywhere. We stopped in a pretty little town for some lunch and then arrived about mid-afternoon in Amboise. We checked in, rested up and then went to dinner at a cafe nestled up against the Amboise Chateau. It was a lovely evening.

This morning we got up and had fresh pastries at our hotel and then headed out to Clos Luce (the last home of Leonardo daVinci). The home contained many quotes, replicas of his famous art work, drawings and furniture of the time. The basement and the grounds had mock-ups of his methods to move water, paddleboats, vision of a tank, a swinging bridge, and gears to move or shoot just about anything!

After having a quick bite to eat we did a little shopping and the shop owner was thrilled to be talking to Jackie in French. We left with some pretty things and Jackie has a new friend.

Dinner was Italian - salad, pizza, and spaghetti Bologonese. A bird flew in and sat next to us on the edge of the window - so cute! - and the people sitting next to us were very friendly. The husband works for a company based in Sweden, the boss lives in Downers Grove near Chicago, and he, himself, lives in the Netherlands! What a small world!! When we left, we walked along the Loire River and enjoyed the view at sundown.

Monday's Post -(on Tuesday)

Today we got up early and went to the Louvre. It is gigantic. We saw some of the "top spots" and then lots more. It is amazing how much art is in one location. Following an after noon of R&R for Jan and John and walking most of Paris for Bob and Jackie, we went to a wonderful restaruant that Bob had had reccommended to him.
We had some time before dinner so we sat along the Seine and gazed at Notre Dame. Then on to dinner. It was so good. We sat outside and enjoyed the delightful weather, the excellent food and wonderful friends.

The Personality of Paris

We saw a different side of Paris today. People (other than just tourists) were evident as we explored the West Bank and Montmartre. After sleeping in and getting a late start Jackie took us on a tour of the Latin Quarter, the Sorbonne and some lovely parks. We diner on brunch crepes and enjoyed the beautiful sunny Paris day. Then we met Joe Hansen, Jackie's colleage and now all of our friend. He took us all over Montmartre. We saw Sacrecour (Bacsillica at the highest point in Paris), Piccaso's Parisian home, VanGough's eisle and the beautiful cobblestone winding roads around the area.
We stopped for a wonderful dinner in a beautiful area with Joe and Jackie enjoying conversations with the waiter. The dinner was delicious, the weather was perfect, the company the best and the live music added to the ambiance.
A tired foursome returned to the Hotel satisfied with another wonderful day in Paris.

Saturday in Paris

Today we started with a wonderful pre-breakfast tour of Notre Dame cathedral. After seeing the beautiful stained glass windows and carvings of the stories of Christ, we set off for breakfast. We found a lovely cafe for breakfast and enjoyed a croissant, baguette, orange juice and hot beverage. After the nourisement stop we headed to Saint Chapelle and were mesmerized by the restoration of the beautiful stained glass window. The panels displayed the old testament stories of the Bible and then the Passion of Christ, with a giant rose window of John's appocolyptic writings from Revelation.
We "broke on through to the other side (Bob)" and toured the cemetery were Jim Morrison and Chopin are buried. It was a huge cemetery with cobblestone walkways and the monuments were above ground, very close together and some were quite grandeous.
We wandered back from our Metro stop and found a cafe with really good food. John and Jackie had an omelet with salad and Bob and I had a whole grain baguette with ham, tomato and cheese served warm witha salad. We stopped at another cafe on our way back to the hotel for desserts. Yummm. Returning to the hotel Jan fell asleep on her way to the bed, John and Bob took short naps and Jackie read.
After rest time we took off for the Eiffel tower to pick up an hour boat tour on the Seine. It was beautiful out and lovely to see things from the water. Upon exiting the boat we were fortunate to see the Eiffel tower lit and the lights were flashing for a while. (Convinced Jan to buy a fun tacky lighted tower souvenier.
Back to the rooms for wine and snacks and then off to bed. Tomorrow may be a slower day for the morning before catching up with Jackie's friend who arranged for our Paris Hotel.
Love to all family and friends!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Today, we started out with patisseries (ummm...), fresh squeezed OJ, chocolate syrup, and cafe creme. We then saluted French war heroes (lol) at the Arc de Triomphe. The boys climbed to the top of the Arc and enjoyed a panoramic view of the City of Lights (but the lights weren't really on because it was the middle of the day!!). On the way to the Eiffel Tower, we stopped and had a snack (ummm #2 - crepe au chocolat and crepe mixte). We then passed at least 75 street vendors where we bought everyone an Eiffel Tower key chain. You all need one, don't you??? haha
We looked at the elevator lines of at least 5000 people at the Eiffel Tower, and since John could barely move because he walked up 284 steps at the Arc de Triomphe, he and Bob refused to walk up the 3 euro stairs. They want to go back for the 13 euro elevator ride! We then proceeded down the Champs de Mars to the Ecole Militaire, took a quick left, and stopped at the Cafe des Officiers for a brief rest and beverages. The waiter almost lost his life taking our picture for us, stepping far out into the street so that he could not only get us in the picture but also the name of the cafe. Then on to the final resting place of Napoleon at Les Invalides. It was a ... we're having a hard time coming up with the appropriate description. Sigh... After a brief rest by the Huffs (and a bit more walking by the Rileys), we went to the Hard Rock Cafe for souvenirs and some good ol' American food. Now it's to bed to get some much-needed rest before tomorrow's trek begins!

We've Arrived!

Bob and Jackie outside our Hotel
Hi friends and family. We were a little concerned about the Rileys as Detroit didn't want them to leave. They eventually left a couple of hours late and made their connection in Philly. John and I had not delays (because we left 6 hours for a connection at O'Hare!) Flight was good and John and I both got about 3 good hours of sleep. Unfortunately the Riley's didn't get quite so much. Need to catch up on that sleep soon.

After taking the train (RER) and metro to our hotel, we took quick naps and went on a hike. Don't think that Jackie has every walked that slowly to keep up with me! We walked along the Seine River and walked to Notre Dame. It is impressive and we'll go back to visit. After that four hour treck we decided on another rest period before we get something to eat and then get to bed! Hope all is well with you and the USA.

Planning

Jackie and Jan were on the phone today making plans and checking out luggage plans. It won't be long before we're meeting each other in France. Follow along with our blog and we'll see how often we can update it.